Casa de Winn - Life. Love. Family

We’re getting married- Setting your wedding date

We’re getting Married!!

Last December 6th 2013 my friend of 8+ years, boyfriend of 3 years proposed to me in front of a few dozen friends after serenading me with the Back Street Boys song “My Love Is All I Have To Give”… I know cheesy song, but hey we were at a karaoke bar with limited choices!

What was supposed to be a farewell party turned into much more than that! We had decided months before to make a move from our East coast single life to move out west to be closer to family and start a family of our own. Still, I wasn’t expecting the proposal that night and in that sort of a way, but knowing how Mark is a romantic and strives to always top what one would think is already great…of course he would propose to me in that manner! This proposal took us through a whirlwind the next 12 months. Including setting a date and planning a wedding!

I had plenty of time to set a date and plan. Here are some things we considered when setting a date and planning a wedding.

Get married when your are ready.

There is no rule as to when you should set a formal date to have a wedding. Many couples feel there is a certain expiration date as to when to set their wedding date and end of rushing into it and others well… still haven’t set one. Set a date when it is right for you. Many of us have a lot of financial responsibilities to pay for and do not have the luxury of having the bride’s family pay for everything. Maybe you just got a new job and planning a wedding is the least important thing for you at the moment. Or you may want to wait to have your celebration when your kids can be a part of the big day. At the end of the day there are no rules and a wedding date should be set when both of you feel comfortable with it.

Wedding is for you AND your family

Often times we hear that future brides and grooms shouldn’t care too much about everyone else and should make decision that are in their best interest…true I agree, but with that said we believe it was in our best interest to have our wedding during a time where those people we love could attend. What would a wedding be without loved ones surrounding us anyway?

So knowing we had many friends and family who would need to travel from afar to attend and bring their children we decided on a summer wedding when San Diego weather is at its best and when those attending could take advantage of summer vacation time to come and stay for a few days. Can’t have a wedding dance floor empty!

So our wedding date? August 8^th 2015 … 08/08/2015. (2+0+1+5=8)

#MarkMarriesAdriana #TheNewlyNguyens #08082015 #SummerWedding

xoxo-Adriana

anadrolic

by CasaDeWinn

Love & Marriage, Relationships

Words Of Appreciation

We all know that there are words of appreciation, but are there certain actions to show appreciation?

If I could single handedly blame one reason why relationships that at one point were great, completely turn negative it would be exactly this, a loss of appreciation from both parties.

I have witnessed many relationships both intimate, friendships and business relationships go completely sour when one party fails to maintain respect and appreciation for the other. I remember learning a few years back “people do not have to do things for you”. Here is one example we can all relate to; a birthday party. No one has to go. So why throw one and why attend? People go because they choose to. Why? You appreciate that person and want to make sure you show them. Well on the flip side, if you choose not to attend and you make this a habit of never attending your friends parties or things that they throw then soon enough you will find yourself alone because people will have seen that you really do not care to make time for them and neither will they.

In my relationship, I always make a conscious effort to thank my fiance verbally when he does things for me and I also make an effort to show him through actions I appreciate him. So what can you do today, to show the person you are with that you love them and appreciate them? Here are a few of the things I like to do and that he does to make me feel like a queen!

Cuddle Time
There isn’t anything I enjoy more it is the cuddle time I get to spend and get from my fiance. Regardless of how busy or stressful your day may have been, cuddling is like asprin, it can cure everything! Make time to enjoy each other.

Cook For Them
So maybe you are not the best cook! Who cares! Nothing shows I care more than preparing something for your loved one. It can be a smoothie for gosh sakes! Throw a bunch of fruit, juice and ice and blend that baby! Or simply pouring a glass of wine. Preparing something and “serving” your other half sends major “I care about you” signals.

Your Partner Is NOT A Mind Reader

This may be the hardest for people to achieve because most people were raised not to be expressive and openly share their thoughts and feelings. I come from a very touchy feely family and my personality is very expressive, so I admit it is the hardest for me to see why people cannot be expressive. Nonetheless, your partner needs to know and be reminded that you like, love, care or think about them. Whether you say it verbally or write it in a note, just do it and genuinely mean it. I tell my partner almost every morning when I wake up and my head is laying on his shoulder that I love him. Often times I find myself receiving a peck on the forehead and him saying the same to me…. I tell you that makes me melt!! Men, forehead kisses is where it is at!

Friendships are simple. Business partnerships are simple. Love is a simple thing too. If you appreciate what is in your life and what people do for you, you will always find yourself surrounded by people who show you the same.
What are some things you, your significant other or a friend does to you that shows you appreciation? Please share with us!

by CasaDeWinn

Love & Marriage

Love In All Forms

Love in all forms. Happy first week of February! The month best known for love being in the air with millions of people celebrating Valentine’s Day. While millions celebrate many more millions dread this day in fear of not having that special someone in their lives. To those people I say:WAKE UP! Love is NOT only about being in a relationship or constantly being in a state of wanting. It is about valuing and developing all relationships in your life. Friends, family, work relationships.

I want to take this time to remind us all not to neglect all other relationships in our lives.

The relationship between you and your significant other. – How has that been? Have you been communicating well? Have you each taken the time to show eachother in your own way appreciation for eachother? Have you taken time to be alone and go on a date?

Your relationship with your children? or One with your parents? – How is that communication? Have you taken time to spend some quality time with them? Do you know what is new in their lives? Successes or struggles or goals?

Relationship with friends – Have you taken the time to check in with them? Sometimes a simple Instagram or Facebook stalking can help…. see what has been going on in their lives and comment on things if that is all the time you have! Picking up the phone of course is always preferred, but with busy lives I understand it makes it difficult to carve out sometime.

…and your pets! Don’t forget them! I swear they have better emotional instincts than we do! They know and feel your love and attention so if you have been busy show them some love and plan a dog park weekend!

Take some time this month to remember and acknowledge all “Loving” relationships in your life.

by CasaDeWinn

Kitchen & Baths

Best Kitchen Appliances To Buy

All I can say is I wish someone had written a post like this to share with me the low down on kitchen appliances. Selecting kitchen appliances almost became a full time job for me. It proved to be one of the single most difficult things during the remodel of our home. Choosing the right kitchen appliances is very important since it is an item in your home that you need to invest a great deal of money in and are not meant to be changed often. You spend a lot and retrofit your kitchen to accomodate your appliances.
When I say I researched appliances that is an understatement. I RESEARCHED them!! Before selecting appliances I knew little to nothing about appliances, after all I had never owned a home and my apartment in NYC had it’s own little version of appliances that looked more like they belong in Barbie’s mansion. When it came to choosing the kicthen appliances I kept 3 things in mind:

1. Affordablity
2. Usefulness & reviews
3. Design & features.
…lastly we LOVE to cook and we knew that the kitchen was going to be our splurge item.

One thing I wanted to avoid was having like 6 different brands of appliances, but I also wasn’t a stickler and needed to keep everything one brand. If you talk to any designer they will tell you to stick with one maker, but as a cook I was more interested in getting appliances that work the best and had the features we wanted.
One website I found very useful was http://www.reviewed.com/ They review all type of low to mid and a few high end appliances.

In the world of appliances there are 3 tiers of price points
Low- Budget Friendly

Mid Priced

High End

Luxury

When it came down to selecting my appliances I narrowed it down to the two following groups. I cared most about was being able to have the best product for the job. I didn’t care to much about staying in one brand.

Based on reviews and price this is what I would recommend should you be remodeling your kitchen and are budget conscious.

Cooktop: Thermador
Gas Grill/Oven: Samsung Chef Collection NX58H9950WS
Refridgerator: LG and Samsung make the best! Most innovative, stylish and priced well.
Ovens: Bosch
Dishwasher: Bosch or Electrolux

If you can splurge a little more then this is what I recommend:

Gas Rangetop: Miele or Wolf
Wall Ovens: Miele… wireless roast probes tell you exactly when your turkey is perfectly cooked! They also have some of the best steam ovens in the market.
Refrigerator: Subzero
Dishwasher: Miele

What I ended up deciding on my own kitchen appliance list:

Gas Rangetop: Miele KMR 1136 36″ Rangetop w/ GD
When I saw the new Miele gas rangetop that just launched in 2015 I HAD to have it! I will review it later after I have used it!

Wall Ovens: Miele 30″ H 6880 BP PureLine M Touch Convection Oven… wireless roast probes tell you exactly when your turkey is perfectly cooked! They also have some of the best steam ovens in the market which I got too. I selected the 24″ DG 6600 PureLine SensorTronic Steam Oven
Refrigerator: Samsung French Door RF30HBEDBSR/AA
Dishwasher:Electrolux EI24ID50QS

by CasaDeWinn

Love & Marriage, Wedding

5 Things To Do After You Get Engaged

Congratulations! You are engaged! Every girl dreams of it. Every girl can’t stop thinking about it when it happens to them: The moment they get engaged. Here are 5 things to do after you get engaged.

I joined the club this last December when my boyfriend of 3 years grabbed a microphone (yes people homey proposed using a mic!) got down on one knee, popped the question and busted out a beautiful Tiffany round diamond engagement ring. My answer: “of course!” with snot running down my face not looking too cute! I am surprised he didn’t think twice because I had one of those ugly cries. Needless to say I was completely surprised and extremely happy.

When he proposed

For the married ones reading this maybe it will bring some nostalgia to you to remind you of that special day he asked the question and I hope that you are as in love with each other if not more than you were on that day. For my single ladies nothing wrong with being single. It is the predecessor of being engaged. And for the newly engaged ones here are 5 tips to share with you on what to do after you get engaged.

1. Make sure you tell your most loved people first, before publically airing the news on all social media profiles
So your mom and your best friend who live in a different state found out about your engagement through your Facebook status?? Yeah not a very good move. Such a special moment in your life needs to be shared with these people you hold dear to your heart first. They value and love you so showing them that they are important by giving them an “in” on what happened in your life before the 13 year old neighbor of yours finds out is pretty damn important.

2. Don’t talk about how “expensive” or big your ring is.
Can you say low class? I always feel that people who have to publically share how much they paid for something or how “expensive” something is just make themselves look that much cheaper. We can all see the size of your ring and the size of the diamond so you don’t have to inform anyone. Let the ring be shared and admired by others on its own.

3. Do share a nice photo of the ring.
The ring is like your mans trophy. Give him some public recognition on what awesome taste he has and what big b@lls he has to take this step into manhood. Personally, I was so proud of my man for selecting something so beautiful for me on his own without me knowing so excuse me if I praise it 🙂 I have NEVER been into jewerly until this…I guess I care about what it represents.. nothing wrong with that!

4. Get your ring insured.
I am not a diamond expert nor an insurance one, but I do know that insuring your ring is one of the first things you should do. Every ring should be appraised for its value by a certified appraisal company who specializes in diamonds. Next you should find out if your current homeowners insurance covers your ring if not look for an independent company. Take lots of pictures of the ring for documentation purposes.

5. Don’t rush into a wedding, but do set a date.
There is no rule or expiration date on when you should get married after becoming engaged so don’t rush into it, but in my opinion the days of being engaged for 6 years and still not making a commitment are over! Engagement is not a “screensaver” for your relationship. Men you really shouldn’t think that just because you popped the question means you have a guaranteed full time faithful girlfriend without all the “wife” responsibilities. Many women get stuck in these long term “girlfriend” roles and stay with a man another 3-5 even 10 years being “engaged” without them ever taking that real step into forming a marriage or taking a more formal step such as home ownership, babies, etc. Whatever your hear fancies! My point is don’t hang around as a girlfriend. There is something very important about having the “set the date” talk. Set a date. Set a budget. Set an objective and then start working towards realizing it.

6. BONUS: Remember that an engagement is just an initial step towards what really matters: Developing a long lasting loyal, respectful, faithful and loving marriage.

by CasaDeWinn

Love & Marriage, People Skills, Personal Growth

The Dying Art Of Communication

I wasn’t alive nor did I experience those times when men used to serenate their women or where they formally asked the girl to be their girlfriend. Your thinking “Common Adriana, that’s some Brady Bunch sh*t! Were in 2010!” And yes I too also know how to check my calendar and know the date, thank you for the reminder.

What I want to point out and have realized about “2010” is the lack of verbal communication or shall I better state it as the transition from verbal communication to virtual communication.

It seems like the days when people would pick up the phone to talk to someone or invite them out to get to know them has been over shadowed by an overwhelming need to use email, messaging or text messages instead of using your mouth to talk to people.

Now I’m not an anti-tech person, in fact I’m one of the biggest supporters of mass communication and technology.I am a self proclaimed geek. I welcome every bit of it and I am thankful for the people who invented these things to make are lives easier. God Bless Tech Geeeeekkkkkss!!!!

Question is does this ease bring breed misfortune?

Does it harm other areas of our lives without us even knowing??

I tweet in the morning, tweet in the evening, tweet, tweet, tweet and text, text, text. I think I can compete with the best of them when it comes to communicating via these channels, but more and more I have realized that the added convenience of communication has taken a huge hit on human to human contact and communication.

I have been guilty of texting or sending my roommate a private message asking them something when they are in the room next to me!! Hahaha you know you have done it also! Or maybe you wished someone a happy birthday via message and forgot to “call” them.

Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt and the hat!

The all mighty question is up to when? Or how much of this can you do before you feel like your best friend is the keyboard and your cell phone?

Or before you lose the art of making someone smile?

Or knowing how to start a conversation?

Or what to say to someone you care about?

If you start speaking more in “LOLs” “BRBs” or “SMH” then read on.

I have a lot to say about this subject and don’t intend to say it all in this first write up, but I will start with as a society we have become terrible “people-persons”

I don’t know if that’s grammatically correct if you haven’t figured out by my past writing English is not my forte and I haven’t hired someone to “clean” up my writing because frankly I don’t want to and don’t care to, so deal with it. ok so back to people being lame and not knowing how to interact.

See the human touch is powerful!

Remember that old saying “People make the world go round”????????????????

Despite all our cool statuses and tweets and places you visit if you find yourself doing all this “stuff” by yourself or the number of “followers” isn’t quite the number of people that show up to your birthday party or whom you would be able to call if you had car trouble and they would actually help pick you up then the all important question is: Does It All Really Matter??

Are you really enjoying yourself? And are you finding fulfillment in your life?

So bottom line is in Adriana’s words: Who gives a flying f*@$ if you are by yourself.

Im not suggesting we go to our neighbors hold hands and sing kumbaya. I am urging us to reflect a little on how much time, energy and effort we put into solidifying the current relationships we have in your life and ask ourselves if we have taken any steps in increasing our network.

For those of you who think “man I don’t need to have more friends, I’m cool I got Bret, Mike, Ted, Logan from Phi Sigma Gamma Wanna Sleep WithYa, I don’t need more friends” then I would like to explore this question more with you next time, so stay tuned and in the mean time go change your status, go LIKE me on Facebook.

And Tweet and Text about what you just read … hahaha 🙂

by CasaDeWinn

Travel

Athens In A Day

Wondering what you can do in Athens in a day? Is it a Stop during your cruise? Athens in a day is not a problem! With my Athens in a day guide I will share with you exactly where to go, where to stay, who to hire and the must sees in this guide.

I have always enjoyed history so visiting Athens, Greece was on my bucket list. Although I did not travel to Athens via a cruise ship and I had a little more than a day to visit the city I can however provide you with great tips and locations of where to go and how to plan your day in this magnificent ancient city!

A few things before I share this Athens in a day itinerary. I was in Athens for 2 days and hired a driver to complete the tour I will detail below. I used Johns Taxi service http://www.athens-taxi.net/ a full service personal driver and sightseeing service. All their taxis are air conditioned new Mercedes Benz sedans. The prices are reasonable and the drivers are so courteous and knowledgeable. Prices start at 250 Euro. There are also hop-on and hop-off busses which are about 14 euro per person or you can simply walk around yourself with a map in handy. Whatever the method you decide and enjoy this mystical city of Athens in a day!

Pick Up- You can arrange a Port or Airport pick up

1st Head to the Acropolis first thing in the morning. (12 Euro)

– Beat the crowd and the heat
– Plan on wearing a hat and comfortable shoes as you walk through a lot of rubble.
– The Parthenon, Temple of Athena
– Once the heart of civilization

2nd Walk to The Arch of Hadrian

– Free to view and it is included in your Acropolis pass.

3rd Walk to the Old Olympic Stadium (Free or 3Euro to get in)

4th The Parliament & Changing of the Guards (occurs every hour 24 hours a day!)

5th Plaka Area
– Cafes, restaurants and shop lined streets
– Buy your souvenirs here.

6th Lykavittos Hill
– Highest point in Athens
– Great place to take pictures
– Panoramic view

If you have time… head to Cape Sounion to the Temple of Poseidon. (Fee 4 Euro)
Our driver too us on a ride along the the Saronic Gulf, passing through some of Athens most beautiful suburbs (Glyfada,Vouliagmeni,Varkiza) and stopped on a seaside seafood tavern for a late lunch on our way to Cape Sounion. Cape Sounion is where you will visit the 5th century B.C Temple of Poseidon with one of the most breathtaking panoramic views in the world.
Drive takes about 1 hour and worth every minute of it!

Additional tips: I high recommend staying at a hotel near or in the PLAKA area of Athens. It is walking distance to great restaurants, sights and the lively squares & shopping!

Eat well and travel often!

by CasaDeWinn

My Thoughts, People Skills, Personal Growth

Do I Lack Confidence- How To Handle Sarcastic People

Many of you have secretly asked “Do I lack confidence?”. Why is it that I rather hide and not interact with people and prefer to stay to my self. Or maybe you find that you one have 1-2 people you socialize with. If this is the case you may lack confidence. But there is more to it and I will share one sure sign that you lack confidence if you react in a way that I will share.

A few days ago I asked “what makes someone a “jerk” and not liked while other “jerks” like TV personalities are admired? You ever notice how certain people adore TV personalities that one would describe as “jerks” or “smart asses” such as Ari on Entourage, Gym teacher in Glee, the Vince Vaughns, but in real life these same people who are fanatic about these characters on TV do not like and get mad at similar personalities that happen to be their friends and a part of their real lives.

Why is it certain people appreciate sarcasm, truth and no bullshit on TV, but when it applies to them in real life they do not like it and get mad and hide?

Could it be that they lack confidence?

Sarcasm

A sure sign to know if you lack confidence in yourself is if you love watching these characters expose obvious things to other people and characters on TV, but if the Ari in their life ever points things out to them or of them… well they just run and hide

Why? I can only come up with one reason: Lack of confidence.

Knowing how to handle sarcastic people is a useful and helpful tool to help you gain more confidence. It is like a weight. The more you learn how to handle sarcasm the stronger and more confident you become. We all have been victims of sarcasm. I have many times been the center of being made fun of or people pointing out certain things about me. I have been made fun of or have been called on for something I did that may not have been the best. Or many a times have had the Vince Vaughns in my life point out the obvious about me. For example… I often times make mistakes on the proper pronunciation of words, or I walk with a very loud step or I am a control freak. My close friends that know me and know these things about me the “sarcastic” or “jerks” in my life…point it out. Often! My way of reacting is well to laugh. I know it’s true. I am a control freak. I do step loud as hell. English is my second language so I do make mistakes. If someone I know and care about and who more importantly I know they care about me points it out or makes fun of it, I simply don’t care and I acknowledge it and laugh it off.

How else should you react?
Should I get mad?
Annoyed?

If the same happened to you what would you do?

For the men out there who played any type of organized sport whether in school, on the street or semi pro I do not need to be in the locker room or practice to know that all men do to each other all day is make fun of each other. To talk about how slow you were at running drills or maybe how you have big boobs and need to lose weight or possibly how your feet stink. The list can go on and on. These type of things are part of the game and also part of growing up.

*****VERY IMPORTANT: I am not promoting bullying. Bullying comes from people who DO NOT KNOW YOU. ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS. WHO DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU and HOW HARASS YOU. If you feel you are being bullied contact someone you trust and of authority at your job, school or community.

I am talking about good old growing up! People who know you, like you, care about you, sweat & cry with you. Can you take a few not so positive comments from them?

I am not a mom yet, but I would teach my kids to learn how to handle a little sarcasm and the “jerks” they will have in their life. If my boy is tall and skinny you better believe I will teach him how to handle being called Jolly Green Giant! Or If my girl has curly hair like her momma you better believe I will teach her how to react and respond to people calling her frizz head.

How do you respond? How do you gain more confidence? ACKNOWLEDGE IT!

Say “yup I’m pretty dang tall aren’t I? Or maybe you are just short”

Say “Yeah my hair is a little wild today not behaving very well. It has a mind of its own and a zip code of its own”
I will share this story with you one night I was having dinner with a few friends one of which I have not seen in several years. This girl has the habit of completing your sentences for you. It’s like she will wait to hear the first 3 words of what you are going to say and then shout out the last 3! It is quite hilarious and she does it ALL the time…not even knowing! So myself and everyone else at that dinner table that night just openly pointed it out. We not only pointed it out, but every single time she did it we would all in unison yell out ” you just did it”. Then we began mocking her by us now being the ones that finished her sentences and everyone else’s sentences at that dinner table.

Question: How do you think the girl reacted?

Did she cry?
Was she upset at us and got up out of the table?
Did she say or think ” I don’t like them anymore…they are making fun of me”

Nope. She laughed. She laughed a lot. And kept saying ” I really do that??” In disbelief and laughed and continued to joke with us.

Now having this type of reaction is not always the case. I have had many people in my life get mad or decide to avoid and hide. A guy I knew was dating a girl whose pronunciation was pretty bad on certain words properly. She had an accent nothing wrong with that so do I for certain words. So as a friend sometimes it would be pointed out or mocked. What was her reaction? Totally opposite of the previous girl! She took the opposite approach and got mad and decide to avoid and hide. Not only did she hide she just decided “we were no longer friends”.

Why is it some avoid and hide when people point out imperfections and or flaws in the, or there personality while others acknowledge it and laugh it off?

I believe it boils down to the magic word of CONFIDENCE.
I have met people who have imperfections in there body and honestly I could have hung out with them for years and never noticed until THEY point it out. Why? These people elude confidence and they do not let there imperfections hinder them.

Some of you may be saying “well Adriana not everyone is confident and can handle that so maybe those people should be left alone” I fancy this thought. Oh so some people are hanging out in the ocean on a raft that is sinking, but we should just leave them alone?? If you think taking a little bit of sarcasm is “tough” you probably haven’t done or experienced much in life nor will you ever. The key here is being able to take truthful comments that are not intended to be hurtful. In fact the people who deliver the message are your FRIENDS. They are not people who purposely want to hurt you. When’s the last time someone so “evil” says “hummmmm let me be super mean and hurt this person soooo bad by ummm mocking the way my friend from Boston says ‘car'”????? Really? That is hurtful and mean??

Common man!

So my point here is to remember that none of us are perfect and the sooner you start to accept that the sooner you will remove yourself from this avoidance of people. The sooner you will gain more confidence and the sooner you will live in truth. If you love truthful characters on TV and the big screen ask yourself if you really had a friend like that in real life would you appreciate there truthfulness or would you avoid them and hide?

by CasaDeWinn

Soups & Stews, What's Cookin

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup) Recipe

One of my favorite childhood foods was when my mom would make Albondigas soup a Mexican meatball soup and it has been about that long since I have had it. So today I decided as the weather got a little chilly and crisp here in NYC to make my moms Albondigas soup the Mexican meatball soup) recipe.

Here is the easy step-by-step recipe to follow.

Meatballs
** Keep in mind I just add enough spices as I want not exactly this measurement. Experiment & have fun!
1/2 lb lean ground beef or turkey ( I used turkey)
1 egg, beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup of uncooked rice
1/2 cup cilantro leaf, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Oregano

Albondigas Soup

One large deep pot
8 cups chicken broth(low sodium) or if you use Knorr use water and add Knorr to it until it taste right.
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes (with no salt added added)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup cilantro
1 large zucchini, sliced
2-3 Carrots peeled and sliced
pepper

Directions:

1. Make the meatballs first: Combine everything and mix thoroughly.

2. Form meatballs and roll between your palms and set aside your meatballs (Otherwise, meatballs will fall apart in the soup).

3. In a pot add olive oil and your diced onion and cook until brown

4. Combine water, chicken broth, onion, celery, tomatoes and their liquid, cumin, oregano and cilantro leaves in a large pot.

5. While you wait to bring the soup to a boil, prepare your veggies. I like using carrots and zucchini, but you can add potato and canned corn to it also. My dogs Buzz & Bella love it when I am slicing up carrots. They are just hoping one falls! So they always help when momma is cooking .

6. Bring to broil, and drop meatballs in the soup (Make sure the soup is slightly boiling, the meatballs need to be cooked quickly).

7. Return to boil and cook another 10 minutes the add your zucchini. You could add 1 cup of uncooked rice to it so it cooks together (Optional)

8. Return to boil and cook another 10 minutes the add your zucchini. You could add 1 cup of uncooked rice to it so it cooks together (Optional)

9.After 20-25 minutes of boiling your meatballs should be floating on the top of the soup and your veggies should be soft, but not mushy.

Lastly serve in a bowl and enjoy!

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by CasaDeWinn

Travel

Istanbul 3 Day Itinerary

Where the East meets the West! This Istanbul 3 day itinerary is a must follow and suggested if you want to see the most of Istanbul in 3 days. I had the opportunity to visit this impressive and progressive city in the late summer where the average temperature was 75 degrees. Perfect for sightseeing and beautiful evening walks. Please note that Turkey is a country that requires visas for many visitors from many countries including United States, Mexico, Canada and more. Click here for a complete list. Please also know that Istanbul is a metropolitan city, but many of its inhabitants are very conservative so women should dress appropriate an avoid short dresses, shorts and exposed shoulders. Many of its religious attractions will also not allow entrance if you are not dressed properly so bring a light jacket or a shall to cover up! Also if you are into shopping bring an extra carry on bag. You will LOVE many things at the Grand Bazaar and wish you had a bigger bag to take everything home in.

DAY 1

We arrived to Istanbul on a Sunday morning. After grabbing a cab (about 50 TL) from the designated airport taxi stops we checked in to the hotel. I recommend taking a quick shower to freshen yourself up and get some energy for the days sightseeing.
A RREPRESENTS THE AREA I BOOKED MY HOTEL

B. Topaki Palace (Museum, 20 TL) Closed Tuesdays. Open 9am- 5pm
Why visit
• World heritage site
• One of Istanbul’s most known attractions. Beautiful gardens.
• Once the center of a great empire

Take a cab to Istiklal Avenue
C. Istiklal Avenue (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Exquisite pedestrian shopping street and many places to eat
• Have dinner here at one of many local restaurants. We ate at 360 Restaurant. Loved the view and the service. The food is “international” from sushi to steak to pastas! 3:5 for the food. 5 for the view!
• A VERY busy street in the evenings. Be careful with pick pocketters.
• One of the most famous avenues in Istanbul

Take a walk to Taksim Square 5mins
D. Taksim Square (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Popular meeting place pay attention to local news if there are any demonstrations or not.
• Busy transportation hub

Take a cab to Ortakoy 8mins
E. Ortakoy (Neighborhood/ Nightlife, Free)
Why visit
• Istanbul’s most famous celebrity filled night club is Reina which is in this area.
• Busy transportation hub

DAY 2

One of the things I like to do whenever I go to a new city is to take a full day guided tour around the city. I recommend doing the same whether it is a guide tour with stops or one of the hop-on hop-off bus tours around the city. I feel like doing this gives you a very good idea of the city where certain things are and where you are geographically. I also like to have a guide when I visit important landmarks to learn the history behind what I am visiting. For Istanbul I decided to use True Blue Tour Company to do my Istanbul tour. I found them on Tripadvisor and they had many good reviews and their price point was very reasonable for all that they do. Below is the itinerary for the full day tour package.

PICK UP FROM HOTEL
With True Blue Tours they arrange a direct hotel pick up
09:00-5:30pmFull Day Trip (75 Euro)

Tips
• Get a guided tour of the city. We had a Mercedes sprinter van for 4 people! Talk about 1st class touring!
• Visiting a large city where people do not speak your native language can be intimidating.

Cable Car to Pierre Loti: Enjoy the beautiful view from the cable car as you climb the hill to the cafe named French writer Pierre Loti, birth name Louis Marie Julien Viaud (1850 -1923). This picture was taken from above this hill. Beautiful view!

Rustem Pasha Mosque: It was designed by Mimar Sinan (“Sinan the Architect”) for Grand Vizier Rustem Pasha (who married one of the daughters of Suleyman the Magnificent, Princess Mihrimah). Its building took place from 1561 to 1563. The mosque is famous for its exquisite Iznik tiles, set in beautiful floral and geometric designs, which cover not only the facade of the porch but also the mihrab, minbar, walls, and columns.
Cruise on the Bosphoros : The Cruise on the Bosphorus which will give you the best chance to view the finest palaces and the pavalions along the shores.

Rumeli Fortress ( From the sea): The biggest fortification of Istanbul can be seen clearly during our Bosphorus Cruise.
Lunch in local restaurant.
Underground Cistern : Built by Justinian after 532, the Basilica Cistern stored water for the Great Palace and nearby buildings. Lost to memory, it was rediscovered by Petrus Gyllius, who came to Constantinople in search of Byzantine monuments. Gyllius, who noticed that local people got their water by lowering buckets through holes in the floors of their houses, found an entrance and thus put it back on the map.

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque): This mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet I during 1609-1616 in the square carrying his name in Istanbul. It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. The central dome is 43 m in height and is 33.4 m in diameter. 260 windows surround the mosque. Due to its beautiful blue, green and white tilings it has been named the “Blue Mosque” by Europeans. The inscriptions were made by Seyyid Kasım Gubari.

Roman Hippodrome and Obelisk: The ancient Hippodrome, scene of chariot races and the centre of Byzantine civic life, stands in the area that is now in front of the Blue Mosque, and now part of Sultanahmet. Of the ornaments which once decorated it, only three remain: The Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. Remains of the curved end of the Hippodrome wall can be seen on the southwest side of the three.

DAY 3

Taking the tour yesterday really helped because now we can head to places we did not yet visit or return to areas we liked and want more time in them.
LEAVE HOTEL –
Take Tram Line T1 to Sultanahmet stop
A. Hagia Sophia (Museum, Fee to get in 20 TL) Closed Mondays. Open 9am- 5pm
Why Visit
• Istanbul’s most famous attraction
• One of the world’s architectural wonders.
• Make this your very first stop of your day. Go early to avoid the crowds.
• Unique site to see two religions under one roof. Quite spectacular!
• Religious site so make sure you are wear appropriate clothing. No bare skin showing.

Take a walk to Sultanahmet Park
B. Sultanahmet Park (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Amazing view on Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque
• Beautiful park
Take a walk to Grand Bazaar –

The Grand Bazaar

C. Grand Bazaar (Shopping, Free) Open 8:30am- 7pm
Why visit
• One of the worlds most famous markets!
• I am making this an early morning shopping trip to buy & head back to hotel to store.
• You will want to buy and bring everything home with you! I did! I bought cool bronze and glass lights for my home!

Take a cab to Eminönü Neighborhood
D. Eminönü Neighborhood (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Oldest neighborhood of Istanbul
• The center of the city
Lunch time

Take a cab to Süleymaniye Mosque
E. Süleymanive Mosque (Church, Free)
Why visit
• Second largest mosque in Istanbul
• Masterpiece of star architect Sinan
• Religious site so make sure you are wear appropriate clothing. No bare skin showing.

Take a walk to Beyazit Square – 25’
F. Beyazit Square (Park and outdoors, Free)
Why visit
• Grand open space
• Istanbul’s principal meeting place
•
Take a walk to Spice Bazaar – 25’

G. Spice Bazaar (Market. Shopping Free)
Why visit
• Second largest covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar.

Spice Bazaar

• Spices, dried fruits and more!

ENJOY THE SUNSET HERE
Take a walk to Galata Bridge – 15’
H. Galata Bridge (Monument, Free)
Why visit
• Istanbul’s great landmark
• I am a fan of sunsets and this is an AMAZING place to view it from.
• Stunning view over the Golden Horn
Take a walk to Galata Tower – 15’
I. Galata Tower (Monument, 10 TL) Open 9am – 8pm
Why visit
• The best 360° views of the city
• It is worth the money to go up the tower. Facebook pics!!!
•

END OF DAY 3

by CasaDeWinn

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